Mental Health is Important Too

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Mental health is not something that is talked about often. Many people fail to realize that mental health is just as important as our physical health. Throughout the years, mental health was ignored and the fear was that it would be forgotten about all together.

Mental health is a person’s condition regarding their psychological and emotional health. The most common types of mental conditions are: Clinical Depression, Anxiety Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactive disorder). These conditions occur in many people around the world, especially teenagers. About 40 million Americans suffer from a mental condition. Over time mental health in youth has gotten worse. Severe depression in youth has increased from 5.9% in 2012 to 8.2% in 2015.

Around the world it is hard for people to find the right care they need for the mental health condition they have. About 76% of youth are left with little to no care at all for their mental health condition, and 56% if adults do not receive treatment. This is caused by a major shortage in the mental health workforce. There is only one psychiatrist per every 100,000 people with a mental illness. About 8 million people in America suffer from mental health conditions.

The most common disorder in adolescence is anxiety and depression disorder. This generation of youth has experienced severe mental health issues, but this can be used to an advantage later to help others with mental conditions. Today, 59% of psychologists are 55 years old and will retire within the next five years. This leaves next generations without anyone to talk to or give them treatment.

To improve mental health people need to be educated on the importance of it, and what consequences there can be if it is ignored.